Brenda Dykes Dimichele

Brenda June Dykes DiMichele was born June 3rd, 1944, in Brundidge, Alabama. She was raised in Troy, Alabama, where she met and married a handsome, funny, and confident Yankee, Charles Conrad “Doc” DiMichele, from Delaware (1962). Brenda and Conrad DiMichele were married 61 years, had three children, Andrew Conrad (Susan), Wendy Elizabeth (George Burris) and Patrick Dykes (Ashley). Brenda was surrounded by her family as she made an unexpected detour from this world to her heavenly home on February 8th, 2024.

Brenda devoted nearly four decades in growing the choral/music department at East Mississippi Community College. She was beloved by thousands of students and treated them as her own. She was gifted in bringing music and musical productions to life and brought many awards back to the “Scooba Tech” campus. Upon retirement and moving to Delaware, Brenda was active as an organist for New Castle Presbyterian Church, New Castle, DE and most recently St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Georgetown, DE.

Brenda is known and loved for her ever present smile, infectious laughter, gentle kindness, endless patience, and great compassion for others. She was fiercely devoted to her family, her country, and treated friends like family. She took delight in her life as a musician and her steadfast faith was an anchor. Brenda could be found rooting for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, enjoying beach days, her gardens, and her passion for heirloom flowers. She was always ready for making plans for family trips, texting, keeping tabs of folks through Facebook, and late-night piddling around the house. She shared her unconditional love and was a devout cheerleader for each child and grandchild in every endeavor, and most recently, thrilled at the gift of being a great-grandmother.

Brenda is the daughter of the late William Fred and late Audie Lois Dykes. She is survived by her siblings, Joan (the late Paul Word), Freddy Dykes (Sylvia), Becky (Alan Williams) and her amazing nieces, nephews and cousins that she loved dearly. She will be so very missed by her grandchildren, Morgan Elisabeth, Shannon George Anthony, Willow Kai, Otto Harrison and great granddaughter Emilia Elizabeth (Mili). She was first in line for all of Morgan and Willow’s musical theatre productions, shows and events, which was her passion. She cringed through most of Shannon’s sporting events, especially wrestling, and always encouraged and took delight in Otto making the world his oyster. Then there was her newest and tiniest titan, Mili, who brought her great joy.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “The greatest poverty is to be unloved.” To have known Sweet Brenda as a beloved wife, Mama, Nana, Mother-In-Love (not law), sister, daughter, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher, or honorary mom/honorary nana, means you had the luxury of being abundantly loved. For that, we are all greatly blessed.

A time of visitation will be held from 9:00-10:30am on Friday, February 16, 2024, in the chapel of Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market St. Georgetown, DE 19947. A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on the same day in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 122 E. Pine St., Georgetown, DE 19947. Interment will follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Milton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her memory to:

East Mississippi Community College Choral/Music Department, 1512 Kemper St., Scooba, MS 39358; or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Organ Fund,

122 East Pine St., Georgetown, DE 19947. Online condolences may be sent at https://www.shortfuneralservicesandcremation.com/.